By ROD ZOOK
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — There was a lot of discussion regarding personnel during the City Council budget meeting Wednesday. That included a lengthy discussion of the Human Relations position for the city which carries a line item of around $63,000. That is currently a part-time position held by Datjaeda Moore.
A grant that was provided at the last minute by the Hutchinson Community Foundation offered $60,000 to make the position full-time over a three-year period. The city would be tagged with the full expense after that and City Administrator Jeff Cantrell offered the council a ten-year look ahead on city costs for that position. The offer comes at a time when the city is not offering any pay increases and implementing a hiring freeze. Mayor Jade Piros de Carvalho was in favor of the proposal.
“I think we send a really strong message as a city, that we’re committed to the ideas of equity and full inclusion of everyone in this community if we fund this position full-time with benefits,” Piros de Carvalho said. “I think we’re in an amazing position, that a private organization has stepped up so we don’t have to subsidize the burden of all of that cost. However, if the city doesn’t feel that the position is worthy of full-time and we’re just doing it because the community foundation is offering this money, I don’t know that’s the message we want to send.”
But with the hiring freeze in place, council member Jon Daveline cautioned against the perception such a change might give to other employees.
“We have a responsibility and we need to be consistent with making sure we’re whole with all of our personnel,” Daveline said. “And with a hiring freeze and not filling vacancies, I think that’s an underlying message to 400 employees.”
Piros de Carvalho noted that the police department was taking on two new positions and wondered what message that sent. But council member Sara Bagwell noted that those positions were already approved in the budget. Bagwell noted she wants to address the Human Relations position but noted that the police positions are needed now.
“I want the police things, I think it’s something we absolutely need. I’m not discounting the Human Relations thing, I’m just saying, is there any way we not make a full commitment until the next budget year," Bagwell said. “It’s just so the heat of the moment...I’d feel more comfortable...having more time to evaluate and assess.”
The council also noted that if Moore was to be hired full-time that she needed to reside in the city just like other directors within the city government. In the end, the council was in consensus that the position would stay part-time. The council has been able to cut around $5 million from the budget and still maintain a roughly $4 million ending balance.